Supporters Council Specialist Seat Elections

ELECTIONS for two Specialist Seat positions in Stoke City's Supporters Council are now up and running – make your vote count!

Season card holders from both the Boothen End and the Family Area are being asked to vote for a preferred candidate to represent their views on the Council for the 2014/15 and 2015/16 seasons.

The voting process has been put into place after numerous applicants put their names forward for those specific areas of the Britannia Stadium in a recent submission process.

Specialist Seat applicants for the Novus Stand and Marston's Pedigree Stand, as well as a Corporate member, were nominated unopposed whilst six General Seat positions have already been filled.

Boothen End and Family Area season card holders now have until midday on Friday 11th July 2014 to vote for their preferred candidate, with the person with the highest amounts of votes from supporters who qualify to vote being declared the winner.

I have had a season ticket/card in the family area for 11 seasons. I would relish the opportunity to give something back to the Club I've supported for 36 years while looking to help provide input into giving the new generation a positive and long lasting good impression of the Club they support.

Attending away games has also given me the chance to see how some clubs operate in their policies.

I believe every youngster and adult should enjoy their matchday experience and would like the chance to help this be achieved.

Regina Colclough

My name is Regina Colclough (Gina); I have just completed 2 years on the Council and would like to re-apply for the vacant seat again. I am a retired nurse, lifelong supporter and a season card holder. The last two years have been wonderful, working with likeminded people striving to make the supporters matchday experience the best in terms of safety, fun and value for money. The best has been communicating directly with fans for their views and ideas to take forward.

I have attended all meetings of the Council and worked on the sub groups for customer experience, 150 years celebrations and the Community Trust. I am currently working for the Trust every Monday on a voluntary basis in the Anita Harris Pottery Art shop selling Stoke City art and pottery of which 15% goes to the Trust to support our local kids in sports and wellbeing.

This is a great experience for me again in a prime position to meet fans and promote the Club. I truly believe the Council has made great strides in the second year and will continue to grow.

BOOTHEN END

Dave Richards

I'm standing for the Supporters Council, because whilst Stoke City is a Premier League team on the pitch, off the pitch there is definitely room to improve the supporter experience. I think the best way to do this, is with a vocal and active Supporters Council, putting the thoughts of the majority of Stoke fans first, and presenting them to the Club.

I'm active on social media and will listen to the views of those I represent, either in person at the game, or via various contact methods, and report back to them how things are going. I won't just be a silent head nodding at everything I'm told to. I'd like to see far better lines of communication between the Club and the fans, so that genuine grievances are resolved quickly, and openly, and a permanent record of them made, so people can see the action taken. I'd like to see the supporter base expanded, and will try to ensure the Club are aware of all ideas proposed on that front by supporters to me.

My first Stoke game was in 1988 aged 12, and I have had a season ticket at both the Victoria Ground, and The Britannia Stadium, now in my seventh season in the same seat in Block 24.

Amanda Cartwright

I am a season card holder, I'm diabetic and severely sight impaired and sit in the Boothen End in Block 19 seat 237.

As a disabled person I think I could give some insight into how going to matches affects people and the obstacles they face how they feel and deal with match days. How the facilities could be made more favourable for the disabled supporters that go to the matches.

I have never applied for anything like this before but I do think I could be of some help, I currently work full time for an IT & Telecommunications company.

Ann Burgess

I would like to stand for one of the seats on the Supporters' Council, being a season card holder in the Boothen End. I was born in Stoke and have been a Stoke supporter since 1966 when I attended with my Granddad and later with my school friend.

I was at the 1972 League Cup Final at Wembley. Since moving to Lincoln in 1987, my son and I travelled to Stoke for as many home games as we could, but we have been season card holders for the last two seasons. I work overseas but normally manage to get back for home games. We are staunch Stokies and I would hope to be a dedicated Council member.

Linda Bradshaw

I live in Market Drayton and I am 49 years of age. I have been a Stoke City supporter for 34 years. I am an active home and away supporter and love to get behind the team I love. The passion and support at Stoke City Football Club cannot be matched and it gives me great pride to see how much the Club has grown in the past 10 years. I think I could be an asset to the Council as I am a disabled wheelchair season card holder in Block 23 of the Boothen End. I am aware of difficulties that are faced by all disabled fans at both home and away games and would like to get the issues heard.

I have also been on the other side of the fence where I wasn't in a wheelchair so can fully appreciate it from both sides. I am a good listener, a good communicator and would describe myself as very approachable, I want to see Stoke City and all supporters work together and become one group united to help to help reach positive results.

I would be able to be an active committee member and attend Council meetings and would look forward to discussing problems with the committee members. I attend every home match and also away games so I see at first hand issues that may arise. Together we can tackle these issues work as one to find a solution.

Glyn Andrews

I'm 38 and come to the games with my partner Stephanie. I have been a season ticket/card holder since 2000 but this season is a big season for me as I intend to bring my son to his first ever Stoke city game at aged just 2. I doubt he'll be a season card holder just yet, but I can't wait to bring him to his first ever Stoke game. I am sitting this season in Block 22 Row 36 and my favourite ever Stoke City moment was being 3-1 down in Preston at HT and considered going home, I didn't, Dean Crowe and gave me the biggest last minute "mental" I have ever had at a game.

I would love to join the Council committee as a representative for the Boothen End having sat there since 2004.

I travel both home and away with Stoke City and occasionally, when Stoke City aren't playing, I attend other team’s games such as Burton Albion or Derby County. I feel that the away day travel and the visiting other grounds will help me be a good representative as I have a perspective on how other clubs look after their fans.

I am very active with all social media and I will be especially accessible through my Twitter account. Through social media anyone will be able to put their point of view forward to me without having to sit on the committee themselves.

Mark Mills

To say I am passionate about Stoke City is an understatement; the forthcoming season will be my 25th season card. I have been fortunate to follow Stoke over the years and I have missed just a dozen matches since 1998.

For the past two seasons I have greatly enjoyed representing the supporters, on the Supporters Council and I firmly believe I have made a positive impact in helping to influence the Club on key decisions.

As you are probably aware, Stoke have opted for a new system for purchasing tickets next season. Even though I was Platinum Plus, I always felt that paying for loyalty was immoral and did not favour the younger supporters, as Platinum Plus was a closed door. I played a key role pushing for a fairer system that rewarded loyalty for all supporters with no fee.

I was one of a few Council members who voiced our disappointment when our Club did not offer to refund supporters train fees for the rearranged Spurs game over Christmas. After listening to our views, the Club decided it should pay for rearranged train tickets for the supporters affected.

For our 150th year celebration match against Spurs, I suggested to the Club that we needed to make the stadium have a visual impact and suggested providing commemorative t-shirts.

I feel I've made a worthy contribution to the Council and more importantly, given true supporters a voice and I would like the opportunity to do this for another term.